Boyle

English scientist. Born in Ireland as the 14th son of the 1st Earl of Cork. After studying at Eton College, he went on the Grand Tour (a European school trip for the children of the British aristocracy) and completed his studies at the Protestant Academy in Geneva. After returning to the UK in 1645, he settled in the manor of Stallbridge, inherited from his father, and began writing his ethical works. In 1649, he purchased a chemical furnace and began experimental research while keeping laboratory notebooks. In the winter of 1650, he received instruction in chemistry from G. Starkey, a chemist (alchemist) of the school of JB van Helmont, who had arrived from America. In other words, the starting point of Boyle's chemistry was van Helmontist chemistry as interpreted by Starkey. At the end of 1655 or the beginning of 1656, he became a member of the Oxford Experimental Philosophy Club, and became acquainted with the cutting edge of international scientific activity at the time. In 1658, with the help of R. Hooke (1635-1702), whom he hired as a laboratory assistant, he built an air pump and carried out various experiments in a vacuum. The result was "New Experiments in Physics and Mechanics Concerning the Springs and Effects of the Air" (1660). In the appendix to the second edition (1662) of this book, he published "Boyle's Law". In 1661, in "The Skeptical Chemist", which is considered to be his major work in the field of chemistry, he critically examined the representative element theories that had existed up to that point, namely the four-element theory derived from Aristoteles and the three-substance theory based on the teachings of TPABH Paracelsus, and argued that neither of them deserved to be called elements. Instead, he supported the so-called mechanistic-particular philosophy. In reality, it is an atomistic system of thought based on the combination and separation of particles with chemical properties. In 1664, in his "Experiments and Considerations Concerning Colours", he investigated the relationship between chemical reactions and colour changes, and presented a list of colour indicators such as violet juice. In 1675, in his "Experimental Notes Concerning the Mechanical Origin of the Various Qualities", he thematically considered "the inadequacies of the Chemist's Theory of Qualities" and "the Alkali and Acid Hypothesis", and classified acids, alkalis, and neutral substances. During his lifetime, he published 44 books, around half of which were on natural theology or natural religion, which praised the wisdom and power of the Creator as manifested in created things (nature). In his will, he also established the "Boyle Lectures" for this purpose.

Source: Morikita Publishing "Chemical Dictionary (2nd Edition)" Information about the Chemical Dictionary 2nd Edition

イギリスの科学者．初代コーク伯の第14子としてアイルランドに生まれる．イートン・カレッジで学んだ後，グランドツアー(イギリス貴族子弟のヨーロッパ修学旅行)に出て，ジュネーブのプロテスタント派のアカデミーで学業を完成する．1645年帰国後，父の遺産であるストールブリッジのマナー(領地)に落ち着き，倫理学的著作を著しはじめる．1649年化学の炉を購入し，実験ノートをつけつつ，実験研究を開始．1650年冬アメリカからやってきたJ.B.van Helmont(ファンヘルモント)派の化学者(錬金術師)G. Starkeyに化学の手ほどきを受ける．つまり，Boyle化学の出発点は，Starkeyの解釈によるvan Helmont主義化学であった．1655年末ないし1656年はじめに，オックスフォード実験哲学クラブの一員となり，当時の国際的科学活動の最前線を知る．1658年実験助手として雇ったR. Hooke(1635～1702年)の手を借りて空気ポンプを製作し，真空中での多様な実験を行った．その成果が“空気のばねと効果に関する自然学-機械学の新実験”(1660年)である．この本の第2版(1662年)の付録で“ボイルの法則”を発表している．1661年化学の分野の主著と目される“懐疑的化学者”において，それまでの代表的な元素説，すなわちAristotelesに由来する四元素説，ならびにT.P.A.B.H. Paracelsus(パラケルスス)の教説にもとづく三原質説を批判的に検討し，ともに元素の名に値しないことを説いた．かわってかれが支持したのは，いわゆる機械論-粒子論的哲学であった．その内実は，化学的性質をもつ粒子の結合と分離による原子論的な思考体系である．1664年“色に関する実験と考察”において，化学反応と色彩変化の関係を追究し，スミレ汁などの呈色指示薬をまとめて示した．1675年“さまざまな質の機械的起源についての実験ノート”において，“化学者の質の理論の不備について”ならびに“アルカリと酸の仮説について”主題的に考察し，酸，アルカリ，中性物質を分類した．なお，かれは生涯において44冊の著作を発表しているが，その約半分は，被造物(自然)に現れた創造主の知と力を称賛する自然神学ないし自然宗教に関するものであった．また遺言で，そうした目的のための“ボイル講演”を設立した．

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